Your definition of soundstage

This is very interesting to read and learn. I've had several systems and have enjoyed several really different stages. My old system had a very good stage that was more from speaker to front wall and the further I set that stage to be back of the speaker the more detail and dynamics I lost. I found myself to enjoy the laid back stage on certain things and not to enjoy it on others. I think I was trying to get more stage out of that system than something in it was capable of. If I just let it come forward to the speakers it was over all a much better listening experience. Prior to that equipment my system was much better at staging without losing detail but was just not what I wanted.

Now I have a new system and the stage is unlike anything I've heard before. There are several factors in my new systems ability to stage and one of them is the Critical Mass Systems platinum series racks. My system now has what I would describe as a stage without boundary. Meaning my walls have nothing to do with the ends of my stage and that can be said front, right, and left. My speakers are only maybe 3 feet off the front wall and 9 feet apart. My stage is more detailed than ever, and also can extend up to I would say 20 feet wide on some music. The layers of depth in the band start at the front wall and extend back from that. It never gets up to the speaker. In the past with this stage or anything close to it that I've heard it lacks the impact and dynamic detail but this system lacks none of that and I hear more than I have ever on just about every disc I put in. I enjoy all the stages and it is something I like. I also like detail so don't sacrifice detail like I did once to try and get more out of your stage.

Cables make a difference as I am doing a demo on Interconnects and speaker cables now and each one actually changes the demension of the stage to some degree.

Important to note that while I say how big my stage is, it still remains very musical and cohesive. Its not fatiguing to listen to but does take a bit of training or getting use to as for the first time you hear it, you will just be like, "man what was that and where did it come from, I've never heard that there before"... so I wind up replaying things over to hear it because I've just never heard it like that before.

Stage is important but so is detail and musicality so just try to find the happy balance with the gear you have to draw out the best it can do across the board.

Enjoy the music,

However big, however small, forward or deep, it just has to work well and remain musical so it can be enjoyed. Don't get an impression to quick on a stage that is different than you are use to as anything you hear that is different can take some adjusting in your listening habits. I've seen and heard people say after only one listen that something isn't right or its fatiguing or whatever. Listening is a habit and your ears get trained on what you hear and how it is delivered. If that changes dramatically it can be shocking, is it better is a question to each individual. In order to tell if you like it more or not you really have to live with it for a bit so you can get use to it from a listening perspective.

I still say don't get hung up on a stage, just get the best detail and image the system can give you and the stage will come naturally. If its at the plain of the speakers or at the front wall or whereever, when you feel your detail and image are working together, leave it alone because trying to seriously improve the stage may affect the other as I have experienced. I speak from experience on this. I got hung up on stage and tried to get my system in the past to give me a stage it just wasn't capable of and I should've just left it alone as it sounded better with a lesser stage.

Der, I will have to look at the cd's but most stuff is only about 13 to 14 feet wide. That said some classical like Beethoven and stuff with orchestra can get much wider and sound like some parts are coming from way out to right or left and or very, very deep. I will try to revisit some of them soon and let you know which ones I experience this on but I don't often listen to this classical stuff. My wife likes it so I will play if she comes down. I have a guy coming to set up my speakers from Illinois whom I am paying. I'm wondering what he will do with my setup and if it will improve. I hear he is one of the best so I'm looking forward to it and hope I don't mess with it once he is done. I'm bad about moving things every now and then just to see if there is anything else, sometimes it works and others it means you spend hours trying to get it exactly back where you had it.

Well there I went again, moving things and again no tape, now it is terrible, bloomy bass. Will have to work in the morning to get it back in place. I moved several things this time, chair, speakers, and acoustic things, haaa.. Now I got a mess of a stage.

Well the setup guy came he saw he kicked butt. Indeed money was well spent getting this guy in to place my speakers. He was most impressed with my room and setup and said I am definitely achieving the maximum potential of my speakers. He has never heard the Sasha so well in stage depth and presence and still maintaining detail and dynamics. I'm very happy with what he did and it sounded fantastic before he got here to me, but now sounds phenominal that he is done. Oh yeah, I don't have to wonder now if I can get it better and move it again, it is as good as it will get unless I want to upgrade something majorly so now its all about listening.